


Over The Edge.

by heyitsnxel



Series: 30 Trope Prompts. [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Angel Dan, Angst, Demon Phil, Fluff, How Do I Tag, M/M, MINOR DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 11:18:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14851742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyitsnxel/pseuds/heyitsnxel
Summary: Who knew that falling in love would end up being something so literal?





	Over The Edge.

**Author's Note:**

> day 4: angel/demon AU.
> 
> I have no idea why this is so long. when the inspiration hits, I guess it hits. (but that's also why I'm posting it 45 minutes late, so whoops.)

 

The first word that came to Dan’s mind when he saw Phil was ‘forbidden.’

 

It was heavily instilled in all new angels’ minds that they were forbidden from interacting too closely with a demon.  They couldn’t avoid them all together, obviously. It was still required to occasionally step in and prevent them from causing too much harm to people left on Earth. The chosen angels and demons met daily to discuss the new people waiting in limbo. There were meetings between the leaders, discussing souls and secrets that Dan wasn’t privy to know. So, complete avoidance was rare.

 

But for angels like Dan, who had no place in limbo and had yet to be called on to intervene with a demon’s actions, forbidden was the only word that mattered.

 

* * *

 

The view from Heaven’s edge left few things to be hidden. Overlooking both limbo and Hell, angels sometimes lingered by the golden gates to see what was happening below. It didn’t take long for most to leave, frowns plastered on their faces for the ‘poor souls that ended up down there.’

 

Dan didn’t get it.

 

Hell was dirty. There was no denying that. Clouds of smoke hung in the air, obscuring the view from above. Ashes fell like snow, coating the ground, the buildings, and the demons themselves as they went about their day. The building they supposedly inhabited were constantly crumbling, pieces of them dropping and disappearing into the ashes spread across the streets.

 

But, aside from the occasional arguments that occurred in limbo, Dan had never seen a demon look unhappy. He had never seen a frown cross their face. Even when they’d glance up, only being able to see the underside of the clouds below where Dan and the other angel’s stood, they would just shrug like it was no big deal.

 

Shouldn’t it be a big deal? Dan had always thought hell was meant to be a punishment and while it was certainly horrible compared to where he resided, no one there seemed all that unhappy.

 

He had voiced this question only once before and was immediately chastised for daring to question how the afterlife worked. He never asked again.

 

It wasn’t that Dan wanted to go to Hell. That would be stupid. He enjoyed the serenity of Heaven. Where Hell had dark clouds, his were pure white. The darkness that was constant below him never once shrouded the sky he looked at. Their streets were clean, golden, and lined with flowers that never wilted. He’d even grown partial to the all-white aesthetic of his clothing and the halo that constantly hung over his head. Plus, he heard that demons only ate human flesh and he was not keen on that being his diet permanently.

 

Despite not truly understanding, Dan was glad he didn’t have to deal with any demons. They were just trouble and he was not at all equipped to handle one yet.

* * *

 

Louise appeared out nowhere, her long white dress flowing behind her and trailing lightly atop the grass. As usual, she looked pristine. Her hair fell over her shoulders in perfect waves, the blondeness almost appearing golden in the light. She reached over and adjusted Dan’s halo from where it had tilted to the side, a disapproving sigh leaving her lips.

 

“You need to go to Earth.”

 

Dan paled instantly. He had only had to travel to Earth once since he arrived in Heaven and that was on his first day so another angel could show him how to go back and forth.

 

“No.” He squeaked, his head shaking subconsciously.

 

“Daniel.” Louise frowned, placing her palm against his cheek. “Everyone is scared the first time they have to go by themselves. They wouldn’t have chosen you for this if they didn’t think you were ready.”

 

He knew he couldn’t argue. An assignment was an assignment and it was rarely changed once it was given.

 

“Why?”

 

“The demons are causing mayhem again. Setting little fires that are spreading and it’s becoming an issue.” Louise huffed, folding her arms over her chest. “You’d think they would have enough of the fire from being stuck down there.”

 

Despite not being able to see over the edge, she glared downwards before she continued talking.

 

“You know how to use your abilities, Daniel. If things get out of hand, do not panic or you’ll only make it worse. Now, goodbye. Hurry back.”

 

“Wait! I’m not-“

 

Too late. Louise was one of the few angels who were gifted with the ability to force someone out of Heaven. It reminded Dan of the fast travel option in the video games he used to play when he was alive. One minute his feet were on the ground of Heaven and the next he was stumbling to keep his balance on a random street on Earth.

  
  
He was sorely out of place. Angels had the ability to conceal their wings and halo when necessary, but his all white ensemble definitely stood out. Luckily, they had ditched the robes recently or he’d look even weirder.

 

Glancing around, it seemed no one had noticed him suddenly apparate out of nowhere. Everyone seemed to be going about their business, no fires to be seen, and if a demon were here, they were blending in a lot better than Dan was. He sighed, glancing down at the smudge of dirt across the top of his shoe. It was the least of his worries, but it messed up the whole outfit now.

 

“You didn’t even try to blend in, did’ya?”

 

Embarrassingly enough, Dan practically shrieked at the sudden voice in his ear. He stumbled back with an indignant huff, hoping to regain some of his dignity. 

He didn’t.

The demon, who Dan didn’t have to go looking for now thankfully, was doubled over in laughter. The black t-shirt he was wearing hung loosely off one shoulder, fabric rippling with every rise and fall of his chest. Brushing his dark fringe out of his face, his lips turned upwards into a smirk.

 

“God, do all angels startle so easily? That was cute.”

 

Dan could feel the heat spreading across his face. He knew he was blushing, and unfortunately, so did the demon.

 

“Awe, you’re adorable.” The teasing tone to his voice was only riling Dan up more. “Did they really send you alone to get me?”

 

“Do you see anybody else? Of course they sent me alone. Judging from looks, they could have sent an angel on their first day to deal with you.”

Dan snapped, immediately taken aback by the tone of his voice. It was very out of character for an angel to display their annoyance this publicly, even with a demon.

 

“Oh, feisty. Can’t say any of the other angels have been so…”

 

He trailed off, taking a step towards where Dan stood. His eyes fell across Dan’s body, roaming over every inch of it until Dan was so uncomfortable he considered going back to Heaven with the job unfinished.

 

“Look, I just need you to stop burning stuff.” Dan’s tone was too harsh again. He cringed, frowning as he lowered his voice. “… Please.”

 

It shouldn’t have surprised him when the demon laughed. He’d edged into an empty side street, leaning against the brick wall. With one look at Dan, he smirked again, before the bushes lining the opposite side of the street burst into flames.

Dan was shocked at how quickly his body reacted. It was almost mechanic. He waved his hand in that direction, calming the flames enough that they wouldn’t cause damage but not extinguishing them completely because it would attract too much attention.

 

“What was the point of that!”

 

Phil shrugged, “There wasn’t one. What’s your name?”

 

“Stop changing the subject. I didn’t come here to tell you my name. I came here to get you to stop endangering people.”

 

“If you tell me your name, I’ll stop.”

 

His tone had fallen sing-songy, a pleased expression rest on his face. He knew Dan would tell him before _Dan_  even knew he would tell him. Angels were known for being logical and telling Phil his name was exactly that. Dan wiped the glare off his face, because angels weren’t supposed to glare, before answering.

 

“Dan.”

 

Flicking his fringe out of his face yet again, he pushed himself off the wall. He stood about the same height as Dan, yet somehow still seemed to be looking down at him. Dan resisted the urge to shrink back.

 

“Phil. Remember that, because I can guarantee you’ll see me again.”

 

With that, he disappeared. His body fell to a pile of ashes on the ground, quickly blown away by the breeze.

 

* * *

 

Louise was waiting when Dan returned. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, ankles crossed  one over each other showing off the white pumps on her feet. When the light faded from his return, she rose.

 

“That was quick. I assume everything went well.”

 

It wasn’t a question, but Dan nodded anyway. Other than his slight attitude problem, things essentially did go well. There was nothing worth mentioning. Louise seemed to understand that and left the room with a smile.

 

Dan hung around the room for a while, hoping to regain his bearings. Traveling like that was mentally and physically taxing. The walls were beginning to feel suffocating by the time he left. Mindlessly, he wandered to the edge, peering down between the gold bars.

 

Limbo was empty, aside from the stray few that had gotten stuck there. Hell was as active as always. He found his eyes drifting to the fire burning on the outside of the realm. It was flickering wildly, reds and yellows mixing together in a way that almost reminded Dan of a painting. It was odd hypnotizing.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there before he decided to go to his home. He was tired and need to rest. 

 

* * *

 

Time went by without anything unusual happening for a while.

 

Dan found himself bouncing between the tasks of organizing soul files (which really felt like it shouldn’t be a job in Heaven) and helping Louise with the flowers that grew along the streets. ‘ _Routine maintenance_ ’, she called it. Dan just called it dull.

 

But, as expected, he did it all without complaints. It was rewarding to make sure their realm stayed organized and beautiful, wasn’t it?

 

It wasn’t until he had a handful of white peonies that Louise sent him to Earth once more. Without even telling him what he was going there for, none the less. His feet hit the ground in the middle of a field. Or more accurately, a former field that had mostly had turned to ashes.

 

He let the flowers dangle at his side, eyeing the mess around him. Was he supposed to clean it up or what? He hated how angels always assumed that everyone knew what they were supposed to do. Because he surely didn’t.

 

A spark of a flame lit up behind him, causing Dan to turn. He had no fear of fire, he could handle it. He was more concerned with the cause. Phil stood off to the side, ashes coating his shoes and the bottom of his pants. Dan sighed.

 

“You brought me flowers?”

 

Dan sighed again, more exasperated, wondering why he couldn’t seem to catch a break even after he died. He waved a hand over the flowers sending them away in a burst of light. He hoped they didn’t land somewhere inappropriate when they got back to Heaven.

 

“No.”

 

Phil pouted, his bottom lip poked out dramatically as he trudged through was what left of some poor farmer’s field. When his eyes drifted downwards and spotted Dan’s once pristine white outfit, the pout disappeared and was replaced with the same annoying smirk he always seemed to have.

 

“Are they going to let you back into Heaven like that? I might have to take you with me.”

 

“No, thank you.” Dan almost blushed at his suggestive tone, looking away.  “I’m assuming you did this.”

 

"So polite..." Phil shrugged, despite his suggestive tone. His hands were placed on his hips, looking proudly over what used to be field. "What can I say?”

 

“You can say whether it was you who did this or not for a start.”

 

How did he end up stuck with Phil again? He’d hoped their last encounter would be their last. Phil was too close now. As much as Dan wanted to stand his ground, he found himself taking a step back. Phil took this gesture the wrong way.

 

“Are you scared of me?”

 

His eyebrow rose and Dan noticed how blue his eyes were for the first time. They didn’t look like they belonged on a demon. The seemed more fit to be in his realm. He also didn’t seem to be teasing. It was the closest thing to being genuine he’d heard Phil sound like yet.

 

Shaking his head, Dan replied. “No. I’m not.”

 

Phil leaned back, falling onto the ground in a puff of ashes. Dan cringed, which didn’t go unnoticed.

 

“You hate this, don’t you? You were upset about that smudge of dirt on your shoe last time, too. Is it too much for you an angel like you to handle?”

 

Dan could feel his face scrunching up, boredlining on a flustered glare. Closing his eyes, he inhaled sharply, forcing his face to rest in a neutral expression once more. When he reopened his eyes, Phil was watching him. His bottom lip was between his teeth, a pensive expression on his face.

 

“What?" Dan snapped again. "What is that look?”

He surprised himself with that question, immediately clamping his mouth shut. He didn’t come here to talk to Phil, he came here to work.

 

“What emotions are you even allowed to have, mate?” Phil pushed himself up on his elbows as he spoke.

 

“What? I – Um, all of the positive ones, I suppose. Why are you doing this?” Changing the subject once more, Dan motioned to the field around them. “There is no point.”

 

“Aha, but that’s where you’re wrong, Danny!” Phil hopped to his feet, striding to where Dan stood. Before he could move away, Phil’s finger had traced down the side of his face, leaving a smudged black trail in it’s wake. “I wanted to see you again.”

 

Dan would have reacted to what Phil said if he wasn’t entirely frozen on the spot. The place where Phil had touched was practically burning, a warm tingle beneath his skin. It wasn’t unpleasant but it felt wrong. Dan’s eyes fell to Phil’s lips, he was still talking. Dan had no idea what he was saying.

 

“… And that’s why- Are you okay? You’ve haven’t moved like at all in a hot minute.”

 

“Mhm.” Dan managed to squeak odd, nodding his head stiffly.

 

Phil stared at him. His eyes glancing over Dan until they rest on the black cinder mark on his cheek. He abruptly broke into a fit of laughter.

 

“Oh my gosh. You are adorable.” He wheezed, practically falling over on the ground. “Is it because of this?”

 

Phil didn’t hesitate to cup Dan’s face, his handprints practically burning through Dan’s skin, rendering him to a state of wide eyed panic. Phil only shook his head at Dan’s dismay, watching as he traced his fingers over where Phil had touched once he'd dropped his hands, pulling them away to reveal the same black smudges there too.

 

“I- You! Why did you do that?!” Dan finally mustered up some ability to speak.

 

“Because, you react like that.” Phil ended his statement with a gentle poke to Dan’s nose, leaving yet another smudge of ash behind.

 

To say Dan was flustered was an understatement. The warm tingles left behind from Phil’s touch should disgust him. But it didn’t. If Dan were being honest, he would admit he kind of liked it.

 

But he couldn’t be honest. So he mustered up his best authoritative expression.

 

“I have work to do here. I didn’t come here for you.”

 

“But, you did.” Phil responded, tossing an arm around Dan’s shoulder and practically dragging him forward as he walked. “You came here to take care of the problem, right? I’m the problem. So essentially, yeah, you did come here for me. And, I have a proposition for you.”

 

Dan stumbled along next to Phil, eventually shrugging himself out from under his arm. He found himself subconsciously rolling his eyes while Phil was talking, mentally chastising himself for doing so.

 

“So, hear me out, Danny. If you just stay here, in this field with me, ashes and all, I’ll clean it up. You won’t have to worry about anything. I’ll even leave you alone for a while.”

 

“How long is a while?” Dan muttered underneath his breath, to which Phil surprisingly chuckled.

 

“I’ll let you decide that after I’m done with you.”

 

Dan hesitated. He glanced down at the ground, eyes drifting over his clothes that now looked like they belonged with Phil. He wasn’t sure how he was going to explain this one.

 

“Fine.”

 

* * *

 

To say Dan ended up liking Phil was another understatement.

 

It bothered him how drawn to the demon he was growing. They had ended up sitting under a tree, Phil talking Dan’s ear off once he realized the angel wasn’t going to speak. It should have been a nuisance. Dan had always been told that demons were inherently evil. They were bad and he should avoid them. The longer he listened to Phil talk, the less he believed  that.

 

“I see you sometimes, ya’know?”

 

Dan turned his head, confusion evident in his eyes.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“When you’re looking over the edge.  You look sad.”

 

Dan found himself at a loss for words yet again. What was he supposed to say to that? He settled on avoiding it completely.

 

“Yeah, I look over it a lot.”

 

“And you look sad a lot.”

 

Phil clearly wasn’t willing to let it go. Beneath his teasing and generally annoying attitude, Dan had realized Phil was a total softie. He cared far more than he let on. So, it came as no surprise that a genuine look of concern was on his face as he looked away from Dan. His fingers slipped under the rips in his black jeans, fidgeting with the strings that rest against his thigh.

 

Dan sighed, “I’m not sad. Just thinking.”

 

“I want to know what you think about. What’s going on it that head of yours?”

 

He poked the side of  Dan’s head, petting his curls as he pulled away. Dan leaned into the touch, but only briefly. It was in that moment his mind caught up with what was happening.

 

Phil was a demon. This was forbidden. He shouldn’t be doing this.

 

Abruptly, he sat up, moving away from where Phil sat. His posture was rigid, eyes locked straight ahead towards the horizon.

 

“I shouldn’t be here.”

 

Before he completely disappeared in the burst of light, Dan cast a glance back towards Phil. He'd remember that moment as the first time he saw a demon truly frown.

 

* * *

 

His had rushed so quickly to get away from Phil, that the entrance back into his realm was a disaster. Dan found himself tumbling to the ground, crashing into Louise’s legs. She sat like she always had when she waited for someone, ankles crossed and hands in her lap. Though no smile appeared on her lips. They were tight, grimacing, as she looked down at Dan on the tiles of the floor.

 

He followed her gaze to the ashes smeared across the hem of her dress, immediately apologizing over and over until she silenced him.

 

“I take it things didn’t go well.”

 

Dan shook his head, wondering what would happen if he lied in Heaven. Louise sighed before standing up, the click of her heels echoed across the room as she made her way to the door.

 

“Not every job goes according to plan, Daniel. I see that you did your best. Clean yourself up before leaving. I don’t want to tarnish anything outside this room.”

 

The door closed with a bang that made Dan jump. His halo tipping to the side from the sudden movement of his body.

Dan did as she said. Throwing away his blackened clothes in exchange for the white that he usually wore, he walked towards the mirror. A perfect handprint was still stained on both sides of his face, the black clashing against his skin tone harshly. However, he felt hesitant to wash it away. On their own accord, his fingers rose and traced the outline on one side of his face. If he focused enough, he could still feel the warmth.

 

The door swung open, jerking Dan's attention away from his reflection. A group of newer angels sauntered inside, books in each of their hands. They took one wide-eyed look at Dan before going to the furthest corner of the room as if he had the plague. Dan didn’t blame them. He probably would have done the same thing.

 

Taking one final look at his face, Dan ran the cloth against it, wiping any traces of Phil’s touch away.

 

* * *

 

After that day with Phil, Dan found himself at the edge more often. His fingers wrapped tightly around the bars of the gate, eyes now searching for Phil somewhere below him. He knew it was futile. There were so many other demons down there and they were all so far away, it was impossible to pinpoint him even if he was wandering through the ash.

 

But it didn’t stop him from looking.

 

Louise was growing wary of Dan’s strange behavior. The two had always been close, so naturally, she would know when something was wrong. It seemed she had no shortage of odd tasks for Dan to, keeping him preoccupied during the day, yet free to demon watch in the evening. Dan could tell she wanted to bring it up. Sometimes he caught her staring, eyebrows furrowed in thought, before looking away. He hoped she didn’t.

 

The thing was, Dan had seen him frown. Which sounded like nothing, but to Dan, it was everything. It was something he had never truly seen in all the years of demons entering hell. They all, mostly, seemed content. He found himself thinking of Phil constantly, guiltily biting his bottom lip. He had caused that. His sudden departure had caused Phil to be sad.

 

Every time the though entered Dan’s mind, he froze. Why did it matter? He shouldn’t even care.

 

It was like he was at a mental war with himself. Phil wasn’t the kind of demon he was warned about. Sure, he was reckless and impulsive and his actions weren’t always great. But he was kind, he wasn’t evil. He was so charismatic that it felt wrong to be away from him.

 

For the first time, Dan found himself wishing for a reason to go back to Earth.

And, soon enough, he found one in the form a new angel named Taylor.

 

* * *

 

 

Taylor was pretty. She had big green eyes, red hair that stopped just above her shoulders. The freckles spattered across her cheeks reminded Dan of constellations and the smile constantly on her face reminded him of Phil.

She was nervous when she first spoke to him, wringing the bottom of her skirt between her hands. Her halo was tilted to the side like Dan’s always was and he resisted the urge to reach out and fix it.

 

“I- Um, one of the angels told me to find you.”

 

She finally spoke, her voice was soft. Dan tipped his head, silently expecting her to go on.

 

“I almost wasn’t an angel. I, um, was… Well, I just was too close either way. They fought and eventually Louise won out and I ended up here. The higher angels don’t trust me. They won’t say it, but I can tell it’s true.”

 

She stopped talking, kicking at the grass with the toe of her shoe. Dan hoped he wouldn’t sound rude, but he was confused.

“Why are you telling me this?”

 

“Ah, right… There was a job that was assigned to me by accident. I guess that happens when there’s probably a lot of Taylors up here... But they said that changing jobs once they’re assigned doesn’t happen and I have to go." Pausing, she finally looked away from the grass and towards Dan. “They said that you have to go with me because everyone else is busy and I can’t travel back and forth by myself and have never really dealt with a demon before.”

 

Dan nodded, hoping his excitement wasn’t evident. This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Beckoning Taylor to follow him, Dan led her to the room where Louise was always waiting for him to return. He briefly explained what was going to happen and what she needed to do and in a flash of light, they were gone.

 

Dan landed on the ground more gracefully than he had done any of his times traveling previously. Taylor, on the other hand, ended up sprawled in the grass. Dan couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“The first time I traveled for training I ended up in a ditch. Don’t feel bad.”

 

Taylor smiled sheepishly, her face flaring up a bright red from embarrassment.

 

“What am I supposed to do?”

 

“That’s the tricky part.” Dan sighed. “Sometimes they tell, sometimes you just have to figure it out. We’re in the middle of the woods, so some demon is probably attracting too much attention or something.”

 

She looked nervous as she stepped around sticks in their path. Her eyes were constantly darting around to the point where she was making Dan anxious, as well. As far as he could tell, they were the only two out in the woods right now. Taylor abruptly stopped, grabbing Dan by the shoulder and pulling him back.

 

“What?” He gasped, completely caught off guard by the sudden action.

 

He turned to meet her gaze, but she was looking ahead, eyes wide. Yet again, her behavior was only making Dan more anxious as he slowly turned to look where she was focused.

 

A group of three stood off in the distance. Dan could tell right off the bat none of them were Phil. He curbed his disappointment in favor of fear when he realized, firstly, they were outnumbered. Secondly, all three of them seemed incredibly aggressive judging from the forest burning around them and whatever poor animal (he hoped) they were laying into. And thirdly, they didn’t seem like they would be willing to leave without a fight.

 

Taylor was trembling, her hand had fallen to grip Dan’s. Her fingernails were digging into his skin, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull his hand away. She, in no way, was ready for this. He turned to her, placing his free hand on her shoulder. She was slightly shorter than him, so he bent to her level when he spoke.

 

“Okay. I, um, will handle this. Can you hide somewhere? Nothing bad will happen, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

 

Dan wished more than anything that he believed what he was saying.

 

Taylor nodded, dropping her hand from Dan’s and moving a few feet away behind a cluster of trees. She gave Dan a weak thumbs up, before disappearing from his sight.

 

In most cases that an angel was on Earth, they would conceal their wings. Their halo would disappear from sight and they would try to blend in. This was not one of those times. Dan’s halo glowed lightly as it rest above his head, his wings were now visible behind his back.

 

Maybe his confidence would make him look more threatening. Maybe he’d look more official.

Or maybe he’d look like some new angel who was terrified out their mind. Who knows.

 

Dan had never walked so slowly in his life. His mind was rushing, desperately searching for facts about angels killed by demons. He wasn’t coming up with anything other than, it had happened before and it definitely could happen again. Which was far from reassuring.

 

The closer he grew to them, the hotter it became. He could feel a thin layer of sweat forming on his brow and he wasn’t even within a few feet of them yet.

 

_Inhale. Exhale. Repeat._

 

He was finally close enough for them to notice his presence. They hadn’t yet, but if they turned around or if he spoke they would. Dan opened his mouth, but it went dry instantly. Any words he wanted to say died in his throat. The taller of the three had turned around, eyes locking in on Dan instantly. His lips had curved up into a smirk that was far more threatening than Phil’s had ever been.

 

“Oh. An angel.” He cooed, causing the other two turn around. All of their eyes were burning holes through Dan’s body. He fought every instinct to turn away.

 

“Can you leave?” Dan blurted out, his voice shaking with every syllable. He cursed himself for how nervous he sounded.

 

The taller demon rose a brow. His hair was styled like Phil’s, except it was blonde. But his eyes were as red as the fire that burned around them. They were the stereotypical demon eyes that Dan was expecting on Phil.

 

“Can we leave?” He laughed harshly, the other two following suit. He made his way over to Dan, stopping in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest. “Of course we can. But we’re not going to.”

 

Dan knew he looked scared. He could tell by how amused the trio was when they looked at him. Their eyes were lighting up, mouths etched into a menacing smirk that Dan was not fond of at all.

 

“Right, okay… I-"

 

The taller demon cut him off, abruptly stepping far too close to Dan and thrusting his hand around his wrist. Dan went rigid, tugging his arm back to no avail. He dug his heels in the dirt as the demon pulled him forward, begging that the friction would help even though he knew it wouldn’t.

 

“Did they really only send you?” He rolled his eyes, shoving Dan in the middle of where all three stood. “That was stupid. Even with normal demons, they usually send more than one. How did they think someone like you could handle all three of us?”

 

Before Dan had a chance to reply, his body hit the ground. One of the two who hadn’t spoken yet had his hand wrapped around his throat, pushing so him hard against the ground that Dan could feel the dirt shifting beneath him. This wouldn’t kill him, even if he blacked out. But that didn’t mean it felt good. He could feel his vision going black, the trees blurring in the distance when suddenly the hand was gone. Dan gasped instantly, inhaling sharply through the coughing fit he was currently having.

 

“Chill out. It’s not fun if you knock him out.” The taller one said, punching the demon who had just choked Dan in the head. They started bickering and Dan took this moment to conceal his wings and halo. The wings were a weak point that they didn’t need access too and the halo just was going to be in the way.

 

He pushed himself up on his elbows, eyes still watering but his breathing returning to normal. Through blurry vision, his eyes met the third demon’s, the only one who hadn’t touched him yet. They held the eye contact for far too long until he jabbed the blonde in the ribs.

 

“Think angels like fire?”

 

Both demons seemed to ponder this before shaking their hands. Dan felt his stomach drop. Normal fire could only kill angels in excess, so unless they decided to just throw him in a pit of it, he should be fine. But they had said they weren’t normal. Was that just a fear tactic or were they genuinely something else? Dan didn’t have much time to ponder this before he was yanked from the ground again. His hands immediately were tugged behind his back, held in place by a larger pair of hands. The other two stood in front of him. They stared at his wide eyed expression as if they were relishing in causing it. They probably were.

 

Like a lighter, the taller snapped and a flame was hovering over his fingers. He brought it close to Dan, taunting him before pulling away.

 

“You don’t seem scared. At least act scared, so it’ll be fun or we’ll have to make it worse.”

 

Dan was scared. He was genuinely so terrified he was in shock. When his expression remained blank, he felt the grip on his hands tighten and a harsh burning sensation press into his cheek. He inhaled sharply, hissing through his clenched teeth. But before the pain intensified, he felt himself falling forward. The grip on his hands was completely gone, as was the fire. And Dan was face first in the dirt.

 

“Get the fuck off of him.”

 

A loud crack echoed behind him, followed by a shout of pain and a string of curse words. Then all he heard was fighting. The sounds of fists colliding with skin, the heat of fire rising around them, even the ground seemed to be shaking.

 

He took this moment to turn around. Amidst the flames were two new figures. One of them he didn’t recognize and the other was very clearly Phil. He fist was clenched around the front of the taller demon’s shirt, eyes narrowed with such anger that it scared Dan from where he lay on the ground. He reeled back, his fist colliding with the other’s jaw. Phil and the person Dan didn’t recognize were talking to the trio now, their voices just low enough that Dan couldn’t hear what they were saying.

 

And then they were all gone, their bodies crumbling to nothing but ash just like Phil’s had the first time they met. Phil turned to the guy he was with, saying something to him before letting him go and practically sprinting to where Dan lay.

 

“Fuck. God, Dan. You idiot, what were you thinking?”

 

Dan didn’t think he could talk even if he knew what to say. His eyes felt like they were glazing over, everything felt heavy. He heard himself mumble something, but it was all unintelligible.

 

“No, fuck. Don’t fall asleep, Dan. You can’t fall asleep, okay?”

 

The words were barely out of Phil’s mouth before Dan passed out.

 

* * *

 

When Dan woke up, he immediately scrambled backwards. His breathing instinctively became rapid and shallow, his eyes darting frantically around the woods until they settled on Phil.

 

He was sitting at full attention, eyes wide and looking just as terrified as Dan felt.

 

“Dan, are you-“

 

“Where’s Taylor?” He blurted out before Phil could even speak. He practically jumped to his feet, swaying from the sudden blood rush. Phil was by his side in a second, arm looped around his waist so he didn’t fall.

 

“Who’s Taylor?”

 

“She was… She was with me. I told her to hide. Oh no, fuck, is she gone? She can’t get back without me. She doesn’t know how, she’s going to-“

 

“Dan, breathe. You’re panicking and need to breathe, okay?”

 

Dan nodded, attempting to normalize what he could of his breathes. When he finally did, he looked back at Phil. His face was pure worry, there wasn’t anything else present. He smiled weakly when they made eye contact.

 

“You just cussed, ya know?”

 

“What?” Dan coughed, his throat still sore. “I did not.”

 

Phil laughed quietly, ruffling Dan’s hair. “You did. But I think you’re allowed to right now. I can help you find Taylor, but you have to know where to look, okay? Do you think they would have stayed put?”

 

Dan let his thoughts drift to the redhead. She was, and probably still hadn’t stopped being, terrified. The likelihood of her moving seemed slim.

 

“Yeah, she’s probably still there. I hope.”

 

Phil nodded, motioning for Dan to lead the way.

 

* * *

 

After walking around in circles for what felt like hours, they finally found where Taylor should be. The trees were still and Dan felt himself holding his breath. What was he supposed to do if she was gone?

 

He didn’t have time to dwell on it before a pair of arms were tossed around his neck and a face nuzzling into his chest. If he hadn’t of seen the flash of red from her hair, Dan would’ve panicked.

 

“You look horrible! I thought you were dead.”

 

Phil stood off to the side, glaring holes into Taylor’s back. Dan would have to tease him about being jealous later, but for now, the focus needed to say on Taylor. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he looped the other behind her back, returning the hug, before pulling away entirely.

 

“I couldn’t die. Then you would’ve been stuck here.”

 

“Yeah, but-“

 

Dan saw the exact moment when she noticed Phil. Her eyes flashed with a fear akin to how Dan felt earlier, cautiously taking a step behind Dan. It seemed even injured, she expected him to protect her.

 

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Phil grumbled, his arms folded across his chest.

 

Taylor looked to Dan for confirmation.

“He’s with me. Don’t worry.”

 

* * *

 

Dan had decided Taylor needed to go back. This was all too risky now that she was here. Unfortunately, he was no Louise. He couldn’t send her back alone.

 

She stood off to the side, her gaze drifting warily between Dan and Phil as they spoke in hushed whispers.

 

“I’m going to take her back and then I’m coming back to this exact spot.”

 

Phil sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Be safe.”

 

Phil rolled his eyes as Dan looped his hand through Taylor"s, glaring through the light that surrounded them. Dan watched him until Phil completely disappeared from their sight and they found themselves back in the same room they had left from.

 

“Taylor.” Dan grabbed her shoulders, turning her to look at him. “Please don’t tell anyone what happened, okay? Just say I brought you back and left to finish the job, because I am going to. That’s not a lie.”

 

_It was a lie._

 

Looking skeptical, she nodded and stepped away. In the blink of an eye, Dan was gone again.

 

* * *

 

Dan practically collapsed as he landed back on Earth. Traveling was harder when he was injured apparently.

 

He hadn’t missed the way Phil and Taylor’s gaze had lingered on the bruises covering his neck or the burn across his cheek. Phil was constantly glancing at the blue and purple marks that covered Dan’s wrists, looking away when he thought Dan wasn’t looking.

 

Dan wasn’t as concerned about the injuries as he was explaining them. If he even had the chance to.

 

He had returned to his realm and left without permission, without a job, for seemingly no reason. Even if Taylor fed them the excuse that he was here to finish it, what he had done wasn’t allowed.

 

“Dan?”

 

Dan turned his head against the ground, looking up to where Phil was standing over him.

 

“Hm?”

“I’ve been saying your name for like 5 minutes. You okay?”

 

Dan nodded, then shook his head, then decided on a shrug. He wasn’t sure. Phil lay on the ground next to him, hesitantly slotting his fingers between Dan’s.

 

“It’s going to be fine.”

 

Dan nodded, squeezing Phil’s hand gently. They both knew that was a lie, but it was better to believe it for a moment than to dwell on the other options.

 

“Hey Phil? What were you even doing here?”

 

Phil chuckled lowly, his body shaking against Dan’s with his breaths.

 

“Looking for you. I found you, just not how I wanted to.”

 

Dan smiled to himself, his eyes had fallen shut and he felt himself dozing off.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Maybe it was his imagination, maybe it wasn’t, but Dan was almost positive that Phil had pressed a kiss to his forehead as he drifted off.

 

* * *

 

Dan and Phil had spent an entire Earth night on the floor of the forest.

 

The entire night hadn’t been spent sleeping though.

 

Dan woke up with Phil’s arm draped over him, his face pressed against his black t-shirt. He smiled against the fabric, ignoring the sense of panic that threatened to overtake him due to the circumstances. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen when he returned. It wasn’t going to be good, whatever it was.

 

Dan had voiced these concerns to Phil as he woke up. He feared not knowing what was going to happen. There hadn’t been a case of this happening since Dan had become an angel, nor had he ever heard one mentioned.

 

He had a sinking feeling there was a reason for that.

 

Phil attempted to comfort him. He ran his hands through his hair, letting Dan rest against his chest. The feeling of his fingers still left a trail of heat in their wake which Dan had sleepily admitted to liking. Naturally, Phil had relentlessly teased him about it.

 

“I wish we could stay like this.” Dan murmured softly, watching the sun begin to rise. He felt Phil shift beside him, tugging Dan closer.

 

“Shh. Just let it be for now.”

 

He hummed in agreement, turning to look at the demon who seemed to have stolen his heart without him even knowing. He opened his mouth, words on the tip of his tongue, when Phil shook his head. He cupped one side of Dan’s face, pulling him closer until they finally met in the middle.

 

The kiss was short, the feeling of Phil lingering on his lips as he pulled away.

 

“Phil, I–"

 

“Daniel!”

 

Both Phil and Dan jumped at the sudden voice, seemingly booming above them. The forest around them erupted into nothing but a bright light and when it dissipated, Dan was gone.

 

* * *

 

When the light subsided, Dan found himself in Louise’s chambers. His arms secured behind his back with cuffs that were digging into his already bruised skin.

 

Louise herself was pacing rapidly, a look of pure rage across her face.

 

“How dare you.” She started, stalking over to where Dan stood and jabbing a finger into his chest. “You know the rules, Daniel! You know the rules!”

 

Dan stammered, tripping back from the force of her touch. He had never seen Louise so angry. It was almost worse than the three demons he’d faced in the forest. She had her back turned to him now, heels clicking across the floor as she made her way to the other side of the room.

 

“I can not believe how foolish you were!”

 

“I’m sorry…” His voice was barely a whisper, words falling on deaf ears.

 

“I have to do it now, Daniel. I have to punish you and I don’t think you understand the severity of your actions!”

 

She whipped back around, her hair flinging behind her as she moved. Dan was surprised to see tears streaming down her face.

 

“Louise, I – “

 

She shook her head and he stopped, closing his mouth immediately. Her arms wrapped around Dan, pulling him into her chest.

 

“I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m sorry I have to be the one to do it.”

 

Dan was growing more and more nervous with every second. Louise had pulled away, leaving Dan to stand in the room by himself. When she returned, she held a small gold key in her palm. Yet another ‘I’m sorry’ left her lips as she beckoned Dan to follow her.

The chains drug across the ground, attracting far more attention than Dan wanted. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he passed, but he kept his gaze on the ground. For the first time in Heaven, he stood out. It was usually only this way on Earth. But today, with his skin covered with bruises and his clothes stained black, he looked a true outsider.

 

Dan knew the direction they were walking. From someone who spent as much time looking over the edge as he had, he knew the path by heart. He also had a sinking feeling he knew what was going to happen.

 

Louse abruptly stopped in the grass outside the gate. Dan knew people were watching, he knew they were following to see what was going to happen. It was human – and apparently angel – nature to be curious.

The key sparkled in the sunlight as Louise twirled it in her hands. She was hesitating. Dan had seen that look on her face many times before. She was the one who trained him when he first arrived here, she was the one who assigned him jobs, she was the only person in Heaven he was truly close to.

 

It almost seemed sadistic that she had to be the one to do this.

 

She turned the key in the lock, letting the gold bars swing forward, dangling over the realms below them. Someone behind Dan, removed the chains and they clattered to the ground.

“Come.” Louise was trying to sound confident. To everyone else, she probably seemed it. Dan didn’t miss the waver in her voice.

His feet were placed on ledge, back turned to the sky behind him. His gaze wandered to the angels behind her, all eyes were on the two of them, hesitantly waiting for what was going to come next. As his eyes drifted, they locked with Taylor. She smiled sadly, looking towards the ground as Louise started talking.

 

“This is going to hurt, Daniel. It’s really going to hurt.”

 

He snorted sarcastically. “Thanks, Louise. That’s encouraging.”

 

He took a moment of pleasure at the exasperated expression that fell across her face, relishing in the familiarity of having seen it a hundred times before.

 

“I’ll never see you again,” She whispered. Her eyes were welling with tears and she quickly blinked them away. “I hope he’s worth it. I’ll miss you.”

 

Before Dan even had a chance to respond, her palm was against his chest and his body was tipping over the ledge; Free falling towards the realms below.

 

If he wasn’t terrified, Dan would have found the situation funny.

 

Who knew a fallen angel was something so literal?

 

* * *

 

When Louise had said it would hurt, she wasn’t lying.

 

Once Dan’s feet had left the ledge, all perks of being an angel started to disappeared. He had felt his halo disappearing, leaving an empty feeling above his head. His wings felt like they were being ripped out of his body, feather by feather until there was nothing more. All the light he had learned to master felt like it was ripping him apart inside out until it dissipated into nothingness.

 

That wasn’t even the worst of it. Despite only being two realms below Heaven, there were many barriers to prevent them from traveling in between. Dan’s body felt like it was crashing through glass, the shards sticking in his skin. The next reminded him of an electric fence he had touched as a child, sending a jolt of pain to every nerve in his body that seemed never ending. Barrier after barrier after barrier, they were all different and they all seemed to be progressively getting worse.

 

By the time his body collided with the ashes coating the floor of Hell, he had passed out.

 

* * *

 

It was **hot**.

_**Everything was hot.** _

 

Dan sat up with a gasp, his hand immediately clutching at his body for some kind of closure that pieces of it hadn’t ripped off while he was falling. It was bittersweet to find the only things missing were his halo and wings.

 

“Watching you fall nearly made me die again.” Phil’s voice pierced the silence, the bed dipping as he took a seat on the end of it.

 

“I think I did die again. Like fifty times.”

 

Phil winced, pulling at the rips in his jeans. He looked Dan over slowly, his eyes narrowing more and more the longer he looked.

 

“What happens now?”

Dan traced his finger in the ashes covering the table next to the bed. Phil shrugged, his eyes showing no concern whatsoever.

 

“I don’t know. You’re technically a fallen angel not a demon. I don’t know if there’s  a real difference in the eyes of whoever the afterlife god is.  But, I don’t think anyone down here cares enough to make you leave.”

 

Dan chuckled at that and Phil quickly followed suit. They both ended up laying back against the bed, fingers intertwined. They stayed there in silence for quite some time, Phil occasionally pulling Dan closer and placing gentle kisses against his cheek. Dan had begun to doze off again when Phil turned to look towards him.

 

“Did it hurt?” Phil asked, looking up and down Dan’s body.

 

“What?”

 

Dan’s eyes were half closed when he glanced up towards Phil, his brow furrowed in sleepy confusion.

 

“Did it hurt…” He paused. “….when you fell from Heaven?”

 

Dan groaned, shoving a pillow over his face as Phil's  muffled laughter filled the air. His arms looped around Dan once more, tugging him to his chest. In this moment, Dan was sure he'd never felt more _content._


End file.
